Bill Belichick Has Predictable Reaction To Christian Gonzalez Earning Award

FOXBORO, Mass. — It’s nice that Christian Gonzalez won the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Month Award. But it ultimately doesn’t mean anything.

Just ask Bill Belichick.

The New England Patriots head coach was asked Friday morning about Gonzalez, who looked like an emerging star cornerback in his first three games. And you probably can guess how Belichick reacted to Gonzalez winning an award that isn’t even voted on by NFL players or coaches.

“Yeah, it’s great for him,” Belichick said. “It’s not really what we’re in it for, though. Just trying to win games and get better. Of course, getting the recognition like that is probably a good sign things are going fairly well. But there’s still a lot to work on. Every week’s a new challenge.

“So, congratulations. But really, our goals are different and bigger than that.”

Gonzalez, the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, more than held his own the first three weeks while covering A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill, and Garrett Wilson.

And make no mistake, Belichick is high on the rookie corner. In fact, earlier in the week, he compared Gonzalez to Stephon Gilmore, one of the best corners in Patriots history.

Speaking of Gilmore, the Patriots will face him Sunday afternoon when they visit the Dallas Cowboys. Kickoff from AT&T Stadium is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET.